


Miraculous Revised

by Cheetahgirl_Studios



Series: Miraculous Revised [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Multi, Origins Part One, Rewrite, miraculous - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:02:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 15,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Cheetahgirl_Studios/pseuds/Cheetahgirl_Studios
Summary: As the name suggests, this fic is a rewrite of the animated TV series Miraculous Ladybug, which follows two teens as they become superheroes and fight to defend their city from fearsome monsters and villains. Why am I even saying this, everyone knows what Miraculous Ladybug is. I took a few creative liberties that weren't by the original series, and made it a bit more catered towards older viewers. I mean, it's no ATLA, but I'm pretty proud of how this turned out. I'm gonna rewrite more of the series once I wrap up Origins Part Two (which will be the next installation in this series), so feel free to pop your suggestions for what episode to do next in the comments. Criticism is welcome too: don't worry, I won't attack any of you. I want this series to be as enjoyable for you guys to read as it's been for me to write. So all criticism and pointers are welcome. That's all I've got to say for now, so...Bug out!
Series: Miraculous Revised [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1921117
Comments: 12
Kudos: 13





	1. Prologue

Miraculous Revised: Origins Part One

Prologue

_It was a peaceful morning. Light snowy clouds floated over the city skyline, and in the distance the hum of civilisation droned on. The man stood still in the shadows of the conservatory, statuesque in his stance. His expression was stone cold, his pose stiff and impassive. He was blankly staring at the brooch resting in his palm, its surface smooth and cold to the touch. Even in the darkness its violet colour gleamed as he ran his thumb over it. Four wing like pieces of material stemmed from it, giving it the form of a butterfly. He silently pinned the brooch to his shirt collar, and raised his head. The brooch glowed with a purple light, and from it emerged a small winged creature. Huge wide eyes sifted around nervously, its wings beating as it hovered in the dark. “W-Where am I? Who are you?” the creature whimpered, cowering slightly. “That isn’t important.” the man growled, flitting his stony gaze to the small violet entity. “All that matters is that I require your powers.” The creature cocked its head, scanning his expression. “My… powers? B-But why do you-?” The man fully turned to face it, his stare one of anger. “Did I ask you for a survey? Your powers. How do they work?” Despite his calm tone, there was a venom behind his words. The creature flinched, shivering as it forced out an audible explanation. “T-The brooch gives you the ability to grant powers to whomever you desire. The recipient becomes your follower: they have to do whatever you say, no matter what.” Its heart was racing- who was this man? Where were they? Why was it so dark? ”And…?” the man queried, still glaring at the creature. It gulped. “T-The activation phrase is ‘Nooroo, dark wings rise’,” The man nodded. “Nooroo! Dark wings rise!” The brooch glowed a malicious purple, and the small creature yelped as it was pulled inside. The man became enveloped in a violet light, and a diabolic smirk broke his stone-like façade as he softly chuckled to himself._

The old man sat cross-legged on the floor, his eyes closed in meditation. He breathed in a deep sigh, embracing the silence of the cosy apartment. The walls were decorated with various scrolls and documents, detailing different acupuncture techniques passed down through millennia. Similar parchments resided in the drawers of an ornamental dresser nearby, and the room itself was dressed in a traditional Chinese style. A screen rested against the eastern wall- opposite was a wide window overlooking the peaceful Parisian suburbia. In his palms rested a cup of tea, and a calm pall hung over the room. The old man slackened his shoulders, relishing the peace. On his wrist rested a bracelet, with a charm in the shape of a turtle shell glinting in the morning light. “Master! Master!” a voice yelled, and the old man lazily opened one eye. A small green creature was hovering at eye level with him, its eyes wide with panic. On its back rested a small turtle shell, and a darker shade of green blushed its cheeks. “What is it Wayzz? You’re never this distressed,” the old man queried, cocking an eyebrow. “Master! It’s Nooroo! I just sensed his aura!” Wayzz blurted out, his words stumbling over each other. The old man stood up, placing his cup of tea on the floor. “Are you sure? We haven’t heard from him since…” he drifted off, a look of pain crossing his aged features. Wayzz nodded furiously. “Yes. I recognised it straightaway. But it was a negative aura. I fear something terrible might happen if we don’t find him!” The man gazed at him with a grave expression, and nodded. “Right. Then we must start right away.” He raised his arm. “Wayzz! Shell o-“

Suddenly, he yelled out in pain as his back arched with an uncomfortable crack. He fell to the floor, groaning. Wayzz sighed, shaking his head. “Master, I think we both know you’re too old to be doing this. After all, you’re-“ The man held up his fist. “Only 186! I’m more capable than you’re giving me credit for!” he exclaimed, finally getting to his feet after a valiant struggle. Wayzz simply stared at him with a blank expression. He exhaled sharply. “But I’m afraid you may be right. My body just isn’t as stable as it used to be. But I wonder…” he looked over his shoulder thoughtfully. On top of the dresser sat a gramophone, with a series of buttons planted on its side. Wayzz’s head snapped around to face him, his expression one of surprise and concern. “No. It’s too risky, Master. After what happened, I-“ The old man flitted his gaze to him. “What other choice do I have? I can’t transform, and without a Holder a Kwami like yourself couldn’t possibly tackle a task of this magnitude by yourself. Whether we like it or not, we need their help.” He hobbled over to the dresser, and using three of his gnarled fingers pushed in a code into the panel of buttons. The speaker piece flipped backwards, and within the bulk of the gramophone emerged a whining sound. A platform rose out of the centrepiece, presenting a hexagonal box with a blood red emblem blazoned on the lid. “I’ll be careful Wayzz…”

“I promise.”


	2. A New Start

_BEEP! BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!_ The high-pitched squeal of an alarm clock sliced through the silence of the bedroom, the phone rattling restlessly on the bedside table. “Marinette! Your alarm has been ringing for the last 5 minutes! You’re going to be late for the first day back at school!” chimed a voice from downstairs. A pale hand ruptured from the blankets, fumbling around drowsily for the off button. Balling into a fist, it slammed down onto the screen, silencing the alarm. Marinette groggily sat up in bed, yawning loudly as she stretched. “Yeah yeah, coming now…” she called back, dragging herself off the mattress. _“It’s not as if I’m looking forward to it,”_ she muttered under her breath. She stumbled over to her chest of drawers, fishing for a decent enough set of clothes. She pulled them on, not rushing herself. She would try to enjoy the solace of her room as long as she possibly could before she started to push her luck. She grabbed her schoolbag that was flung to the furthest wall the night before, and with a small grunt of effort hoisted up the trapdoor separating her bedroom to the small apartment she called home. “Morning,” she muttered, shuffling down the stairs. Her mother beamed at her, nursing a cup of her favourite tea in her hands. “Morning honey,” she chirped, smiling brightly. Marinette snorted, a slight smile gracing her lips. Sabine Dupain had this almost supernatural ability to lighten anyone’s mood. Perhaps that’s why her and Marinette’s father get along so well. Hell, she wouldn’t be surprised if her upbeat personality was how she won him over to begin with.

Marinette took her seat at the kitchen counter, grabbing the cereal and pouring herself a bowl. Sabine frowned, noticing her daughter’s foul mood. “Marinette, is something wrong? You seem awfully down,” she queried, pulling out the stool opposite her and sitting down. The girl shrugged. “Just Monday blues, that’s all. I’m pretty sure my other classmates feel the same way.” She stared down at her bowl, refusing to look at her mother. Truthfully, she just didn’t enjoy school. Between the fact that she was endlessly tormented by the resident bully, and the fact that she didn’t cope well with crowds of people, school was the equivalent of Hell for Marinette. Half the time she wished she could just stay in her room, away from the prying eyes of her peers. Sabine put down her cup of tea, reached across the counter and took Marinette’s hand in her own. “Sweetie, you know I’m here for you, right? If there’s anything bothering you- anything at all,” she gently squeezed her daughter’s hand. “You know I would drop everything in a heartbeat and help you.” Marinette smiled reassuringly, getting up. She went over to her mother, and planted a small kiss on her cheek. “I know, Mom. But I don’t want to worry you. Besides, I can handle myself.” Even though she was smiling, Marinette knew that when worse came to worse she couldn’t. She felt horrible lying to Sabine, but she had to. The poor woman had enough stress in her life, helping her husband run the family bakery. The last thing she wanted to do was add to that.

Once she finished her breakfast, Marinette picked up her schoolbag and went downstairs. As soon as she neared the bottom of the stairwell, the enticing aroma of freshly baked bread and pastries wafted up from the bakery’s back door to greet her. When she walked through the door, something strong and large scooped her up in a bear hug. She squeaked in surprise. “Dad! Come on! I thought we agreed no more surprise cuddle attacks!” Tom Dupain was a bear of a man, with broad shoulders and a large frame. His square-ish head was framed with chocolate brown hair, and as he gave Marinette a kiss on the cheek his neatly trimmed moustache tickled her face. “Is it really so wrong for a father to give his daughter a ‘good luck’ hug for her first day back at school?” he remarked, putting Marinette down and ruffling her dark blue hair with his paw. She chuckled, a bright smile cracking on her solemn expression. Her parents always knew how to cheer her up. “Oh! I almost forgot!” he exclaimed, turning around. When he faced her again, he had a box of macaroons resting in his huge palms. It seemed so tiny in comparison. She took the box, holding it up and admiring the goods. “Wow! These are so awesome!” she gasped, marvelling the intricate design carved into the pastry. “Well, I had a little help,” Tom stated, holding up a piece of paper with the design etched on it. Marinette rolled her eyes. “Oh come on Dad. It’s not THAT good a drawing,” she started. He put it back on the counter behind him. “Well, it’s good enough for me. Therefore, it’s good enough for the Dupain bakery. You should take more pride in your design work, Mari. You’re always so hard on yourself.” She sighed, smiling sympathetically. “Ok, ok. I’ll try to lighten up.” He hugged her again, being sure not to crush the air out of her. “That’s my girl. You might want to run along now. You don’t want to be late,” She nodded curtly, yelling a “love you” over her shoulder as she sprinted out of the door.

Solemn piano music filled the halls of the spacious mansion, echoing off the walls. The boy drearily played the keys of the grand piano, his expression one of boredom and sorrow. He sighed, gazing out of the window. _It’s so beautiful outside…_ He thought to himself, lifting his fingers off the piano. The sun was bright, inspiring a shine in his gold blonde hair. The early morning light reflected in his jade eyes, the heat warming his skin as he stared out the window spanning the entire wall. He looked at all of the people in the street, going about their lives. He silently envied them, envied their freedom. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He grabbed it, scanning the screen. A text read:

_Hey. U still going through with the plan?_

After a moment of thought- and a deep breath- he typed back a response.

_You bet. See u soon._

Pocketing his phone, the boy got up and grabbed his satchel that was sat on his bed. Trying to make as little noise as possible, he gingerly pried open the bedroom door and slinked through the halls of the mansion. He bolted out of the front door, and ran like hell towards the park.


	3. Different Worlds

The school entryway buzzed with life and energy as students milled about, making their way to the double front doors to Francoise-Dupont High School. Marinette sighed, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for the walk sign to flash green. _Great, as if today couldn’t be more stressful._ She rolled her eyes. Just her luck. As usual. _“I swear to God, I must’ve been jinxed when I was born,”_ she muttered. For some reason, Marinette Dupain had the worst luck imaginable. If something COULD go wrong for her, it will. In the most spectacular fashion imaginable. Looking over, she startled. An old man was crossing the road, and out of nowhere a car came speeding towards him. “Sir! Look out!” Marinette yelled, racing towards him. She leapt forward, grabbing him and turning mid-air so that she absorbed the impact. They landed with a thump on the other side of the crossing, and Marinette groaned as she got up. She helped the man up. “Are you hurt?” she asked. He shook his head. “No. But that was incredibly brave of you, Miss…?” Marinette looked back at him, cracking a smile. “Dupain. Marinette Dupain.” He gazed down at the sidewalk. “It’s a shame your confectionary friends didn’t get off so lightly,” he remarked. On the ground lay broken macaroons, their shells splintered and cracked. “Shit!” she exclaimed, scurrying to salvage whatever was left. She paused, and took a macaroon that remained in the box. Marinette straightened up, and placed the macaroon in the man’s hand. “Here. For you.” She took off, sprinting towards the school. “It was nice to meet you, sir!” The man smiled coyly, gently tightening his grip on the small box concealed in his hand. “And it was nice meeting you too, Marinette.”

Marinette took the front steps three at a time, panting as she cleared them. Suddenly, a foot jutted out in front of her, snagging her and causing her to fly through the air with a yell. She crashed down hard on the concrete, winded. “Oops! My bad! Didn’t see you there!” jeered a mocking voice from behind. Marinette looked over her shoulder, and sighed. The voice belonged to another girl, who was leaning against the wall. She had cold blue eyes, and blond hair styled in a ponytail. A smug grin was on her face, as she walked over to Marinette. “Hey Chloe. Happy New School Year to you too,” she mumbled, rolling her eyes. How she didn’t see this coming was beyond her. Chloe scoffed. “Oh come on, Marinette! Is that any way to talk to a fellow classmate?” she asked mockingly, her tone condescending. Marinette got up on her hands and knees, shaking her head. _This is EXACTLY why I hate school._ “Hey, what’s this?” Marinette bolted to her feet, sneering. “HEY! Paws off Bourgeois! That’s mine!” she yelled, charging forwards and clawing at her enemy who had a small book in her hand. Chloe put a hand out, stopping Marinette in her tracks as she flailed and swung her arms furiously. “Yeah yeah. You can have it back in a sec. I just want a peek, that’s all,” she remarked, scanning the pages. She cackled, letting Marinette go and sending her crashing into the ground. “So THIS is the kind of crap you’re into. I always wondered what you were doodling all those times you were huddled in the corner like a freak,” she purred, relishing in her victim’s misery. Tears started streaming down Marinette’s cheeks as she glared at the bully. “I’m not a freak. And give me back my sketchbook!” Chloe tutted, rolling her eyes. “Fine! If it’ll make you shut up.” She threw the book at Marinette, and it smashed into her face. Blood began seeping from her nose, and she held up her sleeve to cease it. Chloe started walking away, but paused directly beside Marinette, her voice low and menacing. “You know, you should do yourself a favour and throw yourself off the roof. Maybe if you’re lucky, in your next life you won’t be such a worthless freak.” With that she sauntered off, cackling like a witch as Marinette picked up her belongings. _“Fuck. I let her see me cry. I promised myself I would never let her see me cry,”_ she cursed, sulking off to class.

The boy tore along the park’s paved path, his breathing curt and fast. Even though his feet were killing him, he couldn’t stop. He no doubt knew he was missing. Thankfully, there wasn’t much further to go. The school was in sight. However, as he got halfway up the steps, a sharp voice froze him in his tracks. “ADRIEN! WAIT!” He went stiff, balling his fists as he inhaled sharply. _So close._ Slowly, he turned around. A woman was standing behind him, in front of a black Mercedes. Lingering outside the driver’s door was a muscle bound man, his face impassive as he glared at Adrien. The woman was dressed in a suit, with a red turtleneck and a black blazer and trousers. A fiery red streak burned through her short dark hair, and her eyes gleamed with concern behind thinly wired glasses. “Adrien… Please. You know how your father feels about this.” she pleaded. Adrien sighed. “Then what about ME, Nathalie? Don’t I get a say in this too?” Nathalie took off her glasses, and rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Look, if you come with us, then I can talk to your father. Explain that it’s my fault. Just please make the right choice.” Adrien stared solemnly at the school, then back at Nathalie. He trudged down the steps, his shoulders slumped. _Damn it. I was so close. Just a few more seconds, and-_ A distant cry of pain snapped Adrien out of his thoughts. An elderly man was crumpled on the sidewalk not too far from him, reaching helplessly for his walking cane. Without a second thought, Adrien rushed over to help him. He helped the man up, then picked up the cane and gave it to him. “Thank you, young man.” Adrien smiled warmly. “Well, I wasn’t about to just leave you lying on the floor.” Nathalie cleared her throat, gesturing to the car door. Adrien’s face fell, and he sulked over to the vehicle. “All I want is to have some freedom. Is that really too much to ask for?” he grumbled, slumping into the back seat. Once Nathalie got back in the car, she gave the bodyguard a nod. They drove off, leaving the school behind. The old man smiled to himself, slinging the cane over his shoulder as he walked off, whistling.

_He hasn’t said anything since we picked him up._ Adrien stared blankly out the tinted window, resting his head in his hand. Nathalie looked up from her tablet, her brow creased in regret as she watched him. She sighed. “Adrien, you understand why I stopped you, don’t you?” The boy flitted his gaze over to her, dipping his head slightly. “Yeah, I do. It’s just… I’m so sick of being locked up all the time. I wouldn’t mind it if my father actually wanted to be around me,” he sighed, looking down at the floor. Nathalie put her tablet on the empty seat between her and Adrien, and turned towards him. “Adrien, I know you’re hurt. And, honestly, you have every right to be. But your father still cares about you. It’s not that he doesn’t want to be around you, or doesn’t want anything to do with you,” she explained, hoping to comfort him. “Ever since her death, he’s been worried about your safety. You’re the only family he has left. If he were to lose you too…” she drifted off. It hurt her, having to limit Adrien’s freedom. _“Sir, I understand your concerns. But locking Adrien up in the house all day? Not letting him out? Don’t you think that’s a bit much?”_ She remembered asking him, all those months ago when he ordered her to keep Adrien in at all times. _“It’s for his own good, Nathalie. He doesn’t understand: he means too much to me. I can’t afford to lose him as well. I hope he realise one day that I’m doing this for him.”_ That was the first time she saw him express any emotion since the funeral. _Still, I can’t help but question his logic. Adrien’s 15. He shouldn’t be locked up like this. No one should._


	4. More of the Same

The car pulled to a halt in front of the grand iron gates shielding the Agreste mansion. With a buzz, they rumbled open, allowing the vehicle to pull into the courtyard. The bodyguard was the first to get out, opening the rear passenger door for Adrien. Nathalie walked beside the boy, trying her best not to let any fear show. “Adrien, when we get inside, I’ll explain everything. I don’t want you to get into trouble with your father,” she stated, looking directly forwards. Adrien looked at her in bewilderment. “B-But Nathalie…! That means you’ll get into trouble instead!” he stammered. She shrugged. “Nothing new there. It won’t be the first time.” The bodyguard held open the heavy front doors, allowing Adrien and Nathalie through. The main hall was a grand masterpiece of architecture, complete with a polished marble floor and towering pillars. A pearlescent staircase led to the two main master bedrooms, and their footsteps echoed crisply off the smooth walls.

“Adrien.” Adrien kept his head down. He didn’t want to look his father in the face. Gabriel Agreste was at the top of the staircase, his glare stone cold as he glowered at his son. He had a stony face, with sharp pronounced features. Everything about the man oozed power and agency. Not surprising, considering he was one of the world’s leading fashion designers. His craftsmanship was reflected in his dress sense. He was dressed in a dark suit, with a blood red tie around his neck. His hair was slicked back, and cold eyes judged his prey from behind a set of ebony-framed glasses. Even though his expression was impassive, his body language spoke volumes about his seething anger. The way he had his hands clasped behind his back. The way he stood tall. The way he slightly tapped his foot. This was Gabriel’s way of saying that he was pissed off with Adrien. It happened so frequently nowadays that Adrien had grown accustomed to it. “Would you care to explain your little expedition today?” he pried carefully, the venom behind the words seeping through like ink.

Nathalie stepped forward. “It’s my fault, Sir. I wasn’t paying attention, and-“ Gabriel held up his hand, silencing her. “Save your breath, Nathalie. This wasn’t your doing.” He turned his attention back to Adrien, who was staring at the floor. “Look at me when I’m talking to you,” he snapped, his words sharp and pronounced. Without thinking, Adrien looked up, gulping. “I thought I made myself clear. You are NOT permitted to attend school. How many times do you plan to disobey me, Adrien?” he growled, narrowing his eyes. “I-I’m sorry, Father. I’m just so sick of always staying inside all the time. Why can’t I be like other kids my age?” Gabriel stamped his foot. “BECAUSE I STRICTLY ORDERED YOU TO STAY **HERE!** I DON’T KNOW WHAT PART OF THIS YOU’RE STRUGGLING TO COMPREHEND! YOU ARE TO REMAIN IN THE MANSION AT ALL TIMES! IF I CATCH YOU DISOBEYING ME AGAIN, I WILL MAKE SURE YOU REGRET IT!” he roared, losing his composure. Adrien jumped, cowering in fear. Gabriel cleared his throat, looking embarrassed as he recomposed himself. He sighed. “Nathalie… take him up to his room. We’re done here.” He walked down the stairs and into his study, refusing to look at Adrien. It could’ve been his imagination, but Gabriel almost looked… regretful. The door slammed shut behind him, leaving Nathalie and Adrien alone.

Silence hung heavy over the room. No one knew what to do to break it. No one wanted to. After what felt like hours, Nathalie mustered the strength to look at Adrien. “If you want, I can cancel your schedule for today. I think you need some time to yourself,” she suggested, forcing a smile. Adrien remained silent, fighting back tears. She looked to the bodyguard. “Take him to his room. I’ll go ahead and cancel his lessons and photoshoots.” The bodyguard nodded, placing a reassuring paw on the boy’s shoulder as he gently ushered him to his room. “I’ll be up to check on you later Adrien. If you need anything, let us know,” Nathalie called after him.

Adrien muttered a thank you to his bodyguard, letting the door to his bedroom swing shut behind him. He took a shaky intake of breath, collapsing against the door as tears fell from his cheeks to the floor. _“Why…?”_ he whispered, sobbing as he buried his face in his hands. _“Why do you hate me so much…?”_ His shoulders heaved with heavy sobs as he cried, unable to hold back his tears as he slid to the floor. He felt like screaming, but repressed the urge to. He hugged his knees close to his chest, staring ahead blankly as the tears kept falling. He couldn’t take much more of this. The oppression… The abuse… The violent words… They were killing him. They were slowly killing him. And yet, he couldn’t do anything to break the cycle. He was powerless. Completely powerless.

The soft buzz of his phone pulled him back to the real world. Adrien pulled it from his jean pocket, struggling to read the text with bleary eyes.

_Let me guess… he found out?_

He sighed shakily, typing a response.

_Yeah. And he wasn’t happy. Sorry, I won’t be able to make it._

The ellipsis appeared, then a new message came through.

_Don’t worry about it. I’ll text you later once school’s over. Hang in there._

He smiled, picking himself off the floor. He made his way to the sofa in his room, sitting down and switching on the TV. Maybe that would take his mind off of the hell that has become his domestic life.

Chloe sighed, switching off her phone screen. _That’s what I get for getting my hopes up._ Class hadn’t started yet, and since Adrien failed to show up she figured his plan failed. It wasn’t fair. He didn’t do anything to warrant being banned from ever leaving the house. She rested her head in her hand, staring down at the desk. _It’s such a shame. I was looking forward to seeing him again._ She hadn’t seen her best friend for a good number of months. She hoped him coming to school would be her chance to catch up with him. It was so long since they had the opportunity to talk and hang out, like they always used to do when they were kids. He was one of the only friends she had. He was like a brother to her. A hand placed itself on her shoulder. “Chloe? Is everything okay?” She looked over. A red haired girl was looking at her with anticipation, a worried expression on her face. Wide green-bluish eyes gazed at her from behind a set of glasses, her features soft and roundish. She scoffed. “None of your freaking business, Sabrina,” she snapped, batting her hand away. The girl startled, gulping. “S-Sorry. You just looked upset, so I figured-“ Chloe cut her off, her tone sharp and venomous. “Well DON’T. I’m fine.” Sabrina nodded. “Okay. Sorry. Won’t happen again.” Chloe sighed to herself. _That was close._ She hated it whenever people started fussing over her, acting like she’s some fragile little thing that needs protecting. Her father does it enough: she doesn’t need everyone else adding to it.

_Still, it’s kind of sweet she’s worried about you._ Besides Adrien, Sabrina was the only other friend Chloe had. Everyone else at school avoided her like the plague. _Can you blame them? You’re always either in a shitty mood or you treat them like objects. As if anyone would want to get to know a monster like you._ It amazed her, how Sabrina always came back to her despite how Chloe treated her. Between barking orders and making her do everything, why Sabrina put up with it- especially for all the years they’ve known each other for- always baffled her. She rarely told her, but Chloe appreciated her company. It felt like Sabrina was the only other person besides Adrien who’s patient and forgiving enough to tolerate her behaviour. Or just tolerate her in general. She smiled to herself, but quickly erased it when her fellow classmates entered the room.

The school day dragged on for Marinette. It just went on and on, more of the same. She breathed a sigh of relief as soon as the familiar chime of the lunch bell sounded off. She took the opportunity to tuck herself away in the furthest corner she could find, finally able to breathe and relax. She was never really a people person. In fact, she despised large crowds. The silent judgements, the cramped space, the feeling of millions of holes being burned onto her skin by all those sets of eyes… Anytime she was caught in such a situation, her mind would go blank. She’d break out into a cold sweat, her body would start shaking, she’d suddenly feel nauseous; and she’d feel ready to faint. And sometimes she did. After enduring that hell for a while, Marinette opted to avoid busy spaces or large crowds as best as she could. As she nestled herself into her little peaceful corner, she sighed. _“Aren’t I lucky? Bad luck, anxiety AND Chloe’s personal punching bag,”_ she muttered, pulling out her sketchbook. A splotch of blood stained the front cover, reminding her of the “charming” welcoming she received that morning. Her grip on the book tightened, her knuckles turning white. She inhaled deeply, relaxing her hold. _Come on, Marinette. Relax. This is your one chance to unwind: use it._


	5. A New Beginning

The girl made her way across the courtyard of the school, scanning the small clusters of people dispersed among it. _Okay Alya, no big deal. SOME group must be willing to take you._ She adjusted the glasses perched on the bridge of her nose, exhaling sharply. Whenever her parents announced their move to Paris, Alya wasn’t worried about transferring schools. She understood why. Her mom’s boss fired her, and she was offered a new job here. At the best hotel in the city, no less. Ultimately it would benefit them in the end. It wasn’t the transfer that worried her. It was starting over that did. Alya wasn’t particularly popular to begin with in her old school. It never bothered her. At least not then. But now that oh-so-infamous feeling of first day jitters was setting in. _What are these people like? Will they think I’m weird? Will they pick on me?_

Alya shook herself off, snapping herself out of her spiral. _Pull yourself together, girl. New school. New year. New start. You’ve gotta have confidence in yourself._ She smiled confidently to herself, squaring her shoulders. Things were going to be different this time around. She was going to make sure of that. As she paced the yard, something caught her eye. A girl huddled underneath the stairwell leading to the second floor of the school. Her skin was as white as paper, and had dark blue hair styled into pigtails. Soft brown eyes flitted over the sketchbook she was resting on her lap, working away, oblivious to the world around her. Alya slowed to a stop, gazing in confusion. _What’s she doing under there?_

“That’s Marinette Dupain,” a voice piped up next to her. Startled, Alya snapped her head around in surprise. A girl was standing next to her, arms crossed. She was a bit shorter than Alya, with messy pinkish hair and icy blue eyes. She was decked out in a dark skater uniform, complete with a snapback nestled on top of her scruffy hairdo and sports trainers. “I-I didn’t really ask,” Alya mumbled, sifting her focus from the girl to the stairwell and back again. The girl shrugged. “Saw you gawping at her like she had two heads. Just thought you’d like to know,” she replied coolly. Alya shook her head. “Does she ALWAYS hide under there?” Again, all the girl did was shrug. “The stairwell, the corner of the cafeteria, the back of the classroom… Chick has a habit of tucking herself as far away from everyone else as possible. Can’t blame her, to be honest.” She nodded her head. “You see Blondie over there? The one with the sunglasses on her head?” Alya turned her head, then nodded. “That’s Chloe Bourgeois. Her old man’s the Mayor. She sees that as an excuse to make the rest of our lives hell.” She jerked her thumb in Marinette’s direction. “Especially HER life. Girl can’t catch a break. Cursed at, vandalised locker, told to jump off the roof… You name it, it’s happened to her at some point.” Alya looked at the girl in utter disbelief, mouth ajar. How could one girl endure so much abuse? “Well, does she have any friends?” The girl shook her head. “Nope. Total lone wolf. We tried reaching out to her a couple of times, but no luck. Pity too…” She turned her attention to Marinette, who was completely unaware of their conversation. “She’s a good person. Heart of gold. But no one ever sees that side of her. They just see the loner who has no friends and can’t stick up for herself.” Alya started walking over to her. “Hey! What are you doing?!” the girl exclaimed. She turned to look at her. “The right thing. I might fail, but I can’t just sit by and let her suffer like this.” She continued on, and the girl sighed. _Your funeral._

Alya went over to where Marinette was sitting, nestling herself down beside her. She went to say something, but stopped when she noticed what Marinette was drawing. Rough sketches clouded the pages, detailing chic dresses and sharp suits. Some had themes. Others were random ideas. Regardless, Alya was impressed by her attention to detail. Everything from the material used to the tiniest decals were addressed in immaculate scrutiny. She couldn’t help but stare as Marinette drew away, completely drawn into her work. “Can I help you?” Alya snapped out of her trance. Marinette was glaring at her, snapping the book shut. “I… I just noticed you were a bit lonely, so I thought I’d join you,” she replied, scratching the back of her neck. Marinette rolled her eyes. “Come on. Be honest. A teacher sent you over.” Alya was slightly taken aback by the comment, but tried to keep her cool. “No! I came over here by myself.”

“Can I…?” she gestured to the sketchbook. Marinette stared at her confused, then she understood what she meant. “S-Sure.” She passed it to Alya, who started flicking through the pages. While she was examining her sketches, Marinette was able to get a good look at this mysterious girl who for some reason was fascinated with her work. She had light mocha skin, and was a bit taller than Marinette was. She had brown hair, but it was styled in a way that it faded into a fiery red near the tip. She wore a white tee underneath a light red plaid shirt, complete with blue jeans and black sneakers. She also had glasses: modern looking ones, with a medium thick black frame and a polished finish. Certainly not someone who was fussed with the latest trends. Had her own casual style, by the looks of her clothes. No discernible brands other than the Agreste sneakers. _She’s a total freelancer._

“These are so cool! You’re wicked talented!” The sudden burst of enthusiasm brought Marinette back to reality. The girl was grinning ear to ear, eagerly scanning the sketches. “Eh. They’re not _that_ good…” Marinette mumbled, blushing slightly. She never received many compliments before. At least not from someone in her year group. The girl looked at her dumbfounded. “Not that good? They’re _amazing!_ The styles, the detailing, the _professionalism…_ You really know what you’re doing.” She handed the book back. “Sorry if I came on so strongly. It’s a habit I’m trying to kick.” Marinette smiled. “It’s okay. I’m sorry I was rude to you earlier. I wouldn’t call my people skills up to scratch.” The girl cocked her head. “Yeah… Why are you hiding over here anyways? I figured someone with your talent would be really popular. Hell, you’d probably be the most popular kid in school.” Marinette looked down at the floor, shrugging. “It’s not that I’m not popular. I’m just not good with people. Any time I’m in large crowds or stressful social situations, I start to feel sick. My skin goes all clammy, my head starts spinning, my body starts shaking.” She started picking at her nails, still looking at the floor. “To be honest, it really freaks me out. I don’t want to be like this: I want to be able to talk to other people and be normal. To be able to actually HAVE a social life without my body turning on me. But after a couple of incidents, I think I scared everyone off.” Marinette sighed. “Why am I even telling you this? I’ve only just met you. I don’t want to drag you into my problems.” The girl gave her an empathetic smile, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Actually, girl, I can kinda relate.”

Marinette raised her head, snapping it around to look at the girl. “You can?” The girl shrugged. “Let’s just say… I wasn’t particularly well liked at my old school. But I don’t wanna open that can of worms again.” Marinette turned her gaze away again, sighing. The girl gently placed her hand on Marinette’s jaw, softly prompting her to turn her head so that she was looking at her. “My point is, you’re not going to change anything by always hiding in a corner and moping for the rest of your life. You won’t fix your problems if you don’t face them.” Marinette pulled the girl’s hand away. “Look, it’s sweet that you’re so concerned about me. Really, it is. But, even if I DID get over what I have, everyone probably thinks that I’m a freak.” The girl smiled boldly, standing up. She gently took Marinette’s hands in her own, helping her up too. “Then let’s change their minds, girl. Alya Cesaire, your new BFF, at your service.” Marinette laughed. “Okay, BFF. What first?” Alya thought for a minute. “…Lunch.”


	6. The Voice of Evil

_The boy crashed to the floor, gasping as the air was knocked out of him. He sputtered, hacking as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Already he could feel the area where he was clubbed by the fist starting to swell. A tall, broad shadow loomed over him, its chest rising and falling as it balled its already bloodied fists. “D-Dude! Ivan! Chill out! It was only a joke! Just take it easy on me! Please!” The boy pleaded, scampering backwards across the floor like a cornered alley dog. He was eventually met with the cool metal of the lockers. He gulped. There was nowhere left to run. Ivan seized the boy by the front of his hoodie, slamming him into the locker. He brought his face close to his, growling. “Too late, Kim.” He drew his arm back, and smashed his fist into Kim’s face again and again. He was too consumed with rage to care for his pleas. Blood splattered against the locker door, staining the cold grey red. He drove his fist into his victim’s face with no let up or mercy. He had this coming. He let go of Kim, only to start beating him senseless with BOTH of his fists. A hand clamped down on Ivan’s shoulder, spinning him around. Cold golden eyes filled with silent fury met him. He pulled him away from Kim, who sank to the floor bruised and bloodied. The man’s voice was sharp and steely. “Ivan. My office. NOW.”_

Ivan trudged along the sidewalk, his head hanging low. _Suspended. I can’t believe I let myself get suspended…_ Principal Damocles had to physically drag him away from Kim, who was immediately sent to the nurse’s office and then the hospital. Ivan was rushed to the Principal’s office, where he received his sentence. _“Ivan, I hope you know why I brought you here. You assaulted another student. Rather violently may I add. I’m sure you had your reasons, but I simply cannot permit this behaviour. You’re suspended for a week. You’re also to apologise to Kim’s parents, and to Kim when you get the chance. I’m sorry, but frankly I see this as a light punishment. I could have you expelled for such behaviour. Consider this a warning. Grab your books, go home and think about why you’re suspended. You’re a good student, Ivan. But even good people make bad decisions.”_

Ivan slammed the door to his apartment, fighting back the tears. He went to his room, throwing his schoolbag as far away from him as possible. He balled his fists, breathing heavily as he tried to collect his thoughts. _“Ha! What a loser!”_ Kim’s words rang off in his head, mocking him once more. _“What’s the matter, big guy? Did I huwt your **feewings**_ **?** _You gonna cry? Run home to Mommy?”_ Ivan gritted his teeth, his breathing hitching. _“You think you’re tough, but really you’re all bark and no bite. You can’t even grow a pair and face your feelings! You’re WEAK!”_

Something inside of him snapped. Ivan roared with rage, and started smashing up his room. He ripped posters off the walls, overturned dressers and smashed holes in the plaster. He battered his pillows, his anger consuming him whole as he tore them to shreds. Panting, he collapsed to his knees, surrounded by debris. Tears fell as he sobbed, the anger ebbing away to leave regret. He reached into his pocket, pulling out the note that started it all. “Why can’t you just face how you feel…?” he muttered. “Kim’s right. You’re a weak, violent loser…”

Suddenly, a shock went through his body. A shooting pain seared through his head, causing him to cry out. _“No, you’re not,”_ purred a voice. Ivan grabbed both sides of his head, gritting his teeth as a strange sensation began to arise in his body. Like someone was taking him over. “W-Who the hell are you?! How did you get in my head?!” he demanded, his tone strained. _“That’s not important right now. What’s important is helping you. Who does he think he is to dictate your strength, when he can’t even defend himself in a fist fight? That Kim boy is full of nothing but hot air. And he got away with murder while you were punished for defending yourself.”_ Ivan slightly relaxed his grip. The voice was right. He didn’t do anything wrong. Kim was the one who started it. HE should be punished. Ivan shook his head frantically. “NO! I can’t do it! I can’t resort to violence again!” _“Tsk tsk tsk. You still fight against yourself. Why should you hold back? Kim certainly didn’t. Don’t you want revenge? Closure? Justice? Isn’t_ _that what you deserve? Give in to your anger, Ivan. Let it out. I can help you accomplish great things. All you have to do is let me in…”_ Ivan let go of his hold. Revenge? The more he dwelled on it, the more appealing the offer became. He completely relaxed, nodding. “Okay. Let’s do it.” The voice chuckled. _“I knew you’d come around eventually. I need you to cause a bit of trouble. If my theory is correct, then the two people I seek will show up to stop you. But, I’ll let you get your revenge first…”_ Darkness enveloped Ivan, devouring him.

_“Go, Stoneheart. Show them how strong you are!”_

The entire wall of the apartment was blasted into rubble, scattering onto the street. Through the dust, an angry pair of green eyes glowed. The monster pulled itself free of the building, small chunks of debris tumbling from its broad shoulders. The creature was comprised entirely of stone, built like a tank and a roaring fire burning in its belly. The civilians below clamoured amongst themselves.

“What IS that thing?”

“It’s huge!”

“Forget huge: it looks like it could use the Eiffel Tower as a TOOTHPICK!”

“It’s some kind of monster!”

“Yeah, what’s a monster like that thing doing in Paris?”

The creature clenched its jaw, growling. _Monster… Monster… MONSTER… MONSTER! MONSTER!_ “I’M NOT A MONSTER!!” it roared, its voice booming. It grabbed a nearby car, hurtling it at the bystanders. It skidded along the road, crashing towards the crowd of people. They scattered, screaming as they fled. “SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!” “NO! THE ARMY!” “HELP!” The creature looked at its rocky paw, flexing it as a smile of relief broke on its cragged lips. _Hey… That actually felt really good… Being able to let my anger out…_ A purple visor appeared in front of its eyes, and the mysterious voice once again piped up in its mind. _“Yes! That’s it Stoneheart! Let your frustration out! They wanted a monster, so give them one! Feed that anger!”_ Stoneheart closed its fist, grinning. _All this time I’ve been holding back. Letting my anger boil over. Never letting myself just… **let go.** This could be it! My chance to let it all out! To finally get all of the anger and frustration off my chest! _Stoneheart raised its head, grinning wickedly. _And I know EXACTLY who to start with…_ “KIIIM!” Stoneheart roared, charging along the road. It smashed any obstacles out of its way, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.


	7. New Look, Old Face

Adrien sighed, flopping back onto his bed. After his escape attempt earlier, he was locked back up in his room. Again. Was home supposed to feel like a prison? _It never felt like that when Mom was around…_ He closed his eyes, letting the soft mattress take him into its familiar embrace. His father hadn’t talked to him after he snapped at him. Come to think of it, he hadn’t left his study AT ALL. Adrien scoffed, rolling his eyes. _Nothing new there. Bet he doesn’t even wanna look at me unless he absolutely has to._ He didn’t want to believe what he was saying, but Adrien still couldn’t help but be sceptical of what his father really thought of him. Over the last year their relationship has progressively gotten worse, to the point where the violent words and the snapping have become commonplace within their home. Sometimes it just felt so hopeless. _At least you have Nathalie. She still cares about you._ Over the last few months, Adrien had found a parental figure in the assistant. She worked for his father, but regardless seemed to have Adrien’s best interests at heart. She saw to it that he got to his scheduled photoshoots and lessons in time, that he got the nutrition a boy his age needs, that his grades didn’t slip below anything other than perfect… God, even just THINKING about his schedule tired him. It baffled him, how a man who barely interacted with him at all can control so many aspects of his life. It seemed that no matter where Adrien went, his father’s shadow loomed over him. His fists balled, and he grimaced. _It’s HIS fault I can’t be normal._

A loud explosion rang off from the TV, causing Adrien to bolt upright. He got off the bed, vaulting over the couch and landing on the seat cushion. Grabbing the remote, he blasted the volume up. A news anchor was standing in front of the camera, her face racked with worry. _“We interrupt this programme with breaking news. Reports have just come in of a monster wreaking havoc in the streets of Paris. We have our reporter Clara at the scene now. Clara, what’s going on?”_

The screen switched to the reporter, who was inside a helicopter flying over the carnage. A hulking brute of a stone creature was smashing the city to rubble below, letting out a primal roar. _“I’m at the scene now Nadia. It’s madness out here. Th-This THING just appeared out of nowhere. The police are at the scene now, trying to contain the situation.”_ Patrol cars formed a blockade, preventing the monster from moving any further. The police chief gave the signal for the officers to fire at it, lighting the street up with gunfire as the rattle of assault rifles filled the air. Bullets impaled the creature, but it didn’t fall. Instead, a green energy covered it, and its form grew bigger. It roared, charging towards the police squad. They yelled in panic, diving out of the way as it brought both of its massive fists down on the cars, flattening them easily. It swivelled its rocky head over to the helicopter, snarling. It grabbed one of the cars that wasn’t pancaked, hurtling it towards the copter at breakneck speed. Clara let out a scream as metal crushed metal with a sickening crunch, the whine of the helicopter squealing in the background as the camera toppled over and blacked out. _“Clara? CLARA?”_ Nadia shouted into her earpiece, her brow creased in fear. An explosion sounded off in the distance, startling Adrien. He flicked off the TV, sitting there in the silence as he tried to grasp what exactly was happening.

The students of Francois-Dupont watched the broadcast, their reactions a mixture of horror, confusion and fear. They were casually minding their own business, whenever the news report came on the TV in the library. Marinette heaved, shuddering. She wasn’t worried because of _what_ the monster was. She was worried because she knew _who_ the monster was. _“Ivan…?”_ she whispered harshly, her voice a croak. Alya stared at her, her eyes wide. “You KNOW him?” she pointed at the TV, where the news station was broadcasting a press conference with the Mayor. “N-Not personally. He’s in my- I mean OUR class. What happened to him? Why is he killing people?” When she turned back around, Alya was grabbing her satchel and getting ready to run off. “What are you doing?!” Alya looked at her with an eager expression. “Duh! That Ivan guy’s been turned into a real life SUPERVILLAIN! Where there’s a super _villain_ , there’s super _heroes_! There’s no way I’m missing this! You coming?” Marinette shook her head frantically. “Are you CRAZY?! I’m going nowhere near him! What if he kills you?! You saw what he did to that poor reporter!” Alya shrugged. “I’ll be careful. And suit yourself.” She ran out the door, taking for the stairs. As Marinette charged through the doors for home, she caught sight of a girl frozen with dread. Her eyes were wide with fear, hands clamped over her mouth as she tremored. Her eyes were glued to the screen, unmoving.

“Yes yes! Thank you for your time! Don’t worry! I’m on it!” Andre slammed the doors to City Hall shut, groaning as he buried his face in his hands. “Oh, what have I gone and done now?” He walked into his office, the heavy double doors swinging shut behind him. He paced back and forth, his brow creased as he lost himself in his thoughts. _A monster! Of all of the things to attack Paris, why did it have to be a monster?! And an indestructible one at that! How am I supposed to kill something that can’t even be HURT?! Oh, I just hope Chloe got home safe. If she got caught up in all this…_ He stopped, sighing. He composed himself, smoothing out his suit. “Come now, Andre. You’re the Mayor. Your people need you, so it’s time to stop fussing about and DO something!” He marched over to his desk, sitting himself down in the comfy leather chair. He jabbed his finger into the button of the intercom. “Police, I need to speak to Officer Roger!”

Marinette buried her face in her hands. “I hate first days back at school…” she grumbled, her voice muffled. Her city was being torn up by a walking mountain. The only friend she had was going to die at the young age of 15. She sighed, ripping her hands away from her face. She had to do something. Anything.

Adrien paced his room, lost in thought. He ran every possibility through his head, his brow furrowed. He couldn’t just stand by. He had to do something. Anything.

Something caught Marinette’s eye. A small hexagonal box, resting idly by her computer. Intrigued, she picked it up to inspect it.

Something small and black attracted Adrien’s attention. It was sitting by the leg of the table. He kneeled down, getting a closer look. It was a little black box, with a bloody red emblem emblazoned at the top. He took it in his hands, peering at it.

“Who left this here?” they muttered, snapping the lid open.


	8. Power On!

“AAAAAHHH!” Marinette screamed, falling backwards off her chair and crashing to the floor, shielding her eyes as a bright pink light flared right in front of her. Dazed, she groaned as she rubbed the back of her head. “Oh my God! Are you okay?! I didn’t mean to scare you!” A tiny voice squeaked, as Marinette drowsily sat upright. A small red creature hovered a few inches from her face, its large round eyes filled with worry. On its head and back were two large black spots, and a small five-pronged tail shadowed the creature. It took Marinette a few seconds to digest what was happening. “AGH! A FLYING MOUSE! BUG! MOUSE-BUG!” she yelped, scurrying backwards. “No no! Marinette! It’s okay!” the creature tried to reassure her, waving its tiny arms in front of itself in an attempt to show her everything’s okay. “AAAHH! MOUSE-BUG TALKS!” Marinette crashed into her dresser, reaching her hand back and desperately fumbling it around looking for something to trap it. Eventually she was able to grab a glass, and lunged forward. She slammed down the glass over the small entity, trapping it. The creature smiled sweetly. “Well, if this makes you feel more comfortable,” it pipped, looking at Marinette intently from behind the glass. “What are you? How do you know who I am?” The creature giggled. “I’m a Kwami.” Marinette cocked her head. “A what?” “A Kwami. We’re kind of like genies, but we act more as guides than vices.” Marinette nodded. “O-k. But how do you know my name? And how the hell did you fit inside that tiny little- OH SHIT THE BOX I DROPPED IT!” She let go of the glass, scampering across her bedroom floor and snatching the discarded box. Embedded in the velvet lining were two earrings, with five spots each arranged in the pattern of a ladybug. The creature phased through the glass, flying over to her and sitting on her shoulder. “I’ll explain everything later, Marinette. I promise. But there’s no time right now. We need to get you ready to fight Stoneheart.”

Green light filled Adrien’s bedroom as he shielded his eyes. When he peeled his hands from his face, a small black bundle of fur was floating in front of him. Two small paws stretched out in front of it, and a long tail unfurled from its small frame. Jade eyes drowsily opened as the creature yawned, showing off its minute fangs. Cat-like ears were flattened against its head, and its otherwise pitch-black fur was tinted with purple. “What the-“ Adrien muttered, blinking rapidly just to make sure he was seeing correctly. The small cat creature looked at him, eyes half closed. “You Adrien?” it purred, its voice harsh and gravelly. He nodded. “Y-Yeah, but who-?” “Good. Ya got anything to eat? I haven’t snacked in 172 years.” It whizzed past him: a small blur as it zipped around the room. “Ooh, shiny! Can I eat this?” it exclaimed, coming across Adrien’s fencing trophies. “Hey! Get away from those!” he yelled, lunging at the creature. It zoomed out of the way, and Adrien was sent crashing headfirst to the floor. The creature howled with laughter, doubling over. “I haven’t had this much fun with ANY of my old holders! Ah, you humans always make me crack up!” it cackled, wiping a tear from its eye. Adrien snarled, getting to his knees in a crouch. “Just hold still!” He charged at the creature again, which flanked to the right and caused Adrien to lose his footing. “Oh come ON kid! You’re gonna need better reflexes than that to be the Cat Hero!” Adrien glared at the small cat, scowling. Suddenly, his expression lightened up with a grin. The cat had turned its attention to his TV remote, gnawing on it with its tiny fangs. He scaled the large rock-climbing wall at the far side of his room, and once at the top leapt off. He snared the cat in his grip, landing on the sofa. “Gotcha! Who’s the one with reflexes now?” The cat looked at him confused, then smirked. “Not bad, kid. At least this time I’ve got something I can work with. Name’s Plagg. And I’m your Kwami.”

“So, what’s the activation phrase again?” Marinette asked, standing nervously in front of the mirror. Tikki (the creature finally introduced herself after Marinette’s screamfest conceded) was perched on her shoulder. “Spots On. That’s how you activate your powers.” Marinette nodded, taking a deep breath. _This has to be some kind of fever dream. I’m talking to an oversized ladybug who lives inside magical earrings that can turn people into superheroes. Maybe Chloe gave me a concussion or something when she threw my sketchbook at my head._ Regardless, it seemed there was no way out of this now. She had to stop Ivan before he hurt anyone else. “Tikki, spots on!” she yelled. The earrings glowed a bright pink, and the kwami was pulled inside as Marinette was absorbed in the light. “WHAT THE-?!” she exclaimed, stumbling backwards. She tumbled out of the open window, screaming.

A strong jerk resonated through her body, and she groaned as she tried to make the world stop spinning. It took her two seconds to realise she was upside down. It took her three more to realise she was hanging upside down wrapped in what appeared to be some kind of wire-like string. And it took her exactly three point five minutes to hoist herself onto the roof of the bakery after untangling herself. “Ugh. That was embarrassing…” she muttered, resting her head in her palm. _Hang on a minute._ Looking down at her hand, Marinette yelped in surprise. Her hand was covered in- spandex? She looked down slowly, and jumped backwards with a yell. She was decked out in a red spandex suit, with black high gloves and boots. A belt was fastened around her waist, and black spots decorated the outfit. On her hands was one red spot on the back, and one more on both her upper arms. Attached to the belt was a yo-yo, decorated to look similar to a ladybug. _At least I know where the string came from…_ Marinette grabbed the yo-yo, unwinding some of the string. She hooked her ring finger through the hoop at the end, drawing her arm back. _Okay, so apparently according to Tikki I can use this thing to get around…_ Using all of her strength, she shot her arm forward. The yo-yo went flying through the air, eventually wrapping itself around a distant gargoyle’s ear. The string tensed. _Oh no._ Marinette went hurtling through the air, screaming as she was catapulted from the safety of her roof and into the unknown (figuratively and literally).

Nathalie set the tablet down on the desk, sighing. _That’s the last of Adrien’s schedule cancelled for today._ She slumped back in her office chair, taking off her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose. She had never seen Gabriel so furious before. Much less towards his own son. Granted, he was never particularly warm towards him to start with. _I’m being unfair. In a way, Sir’s anger is understandable, even justified._ Ever since Gabriel became notably absent in Adrien’s life, Nathalie took it upon herself to step up. She made sure Adrien was properly rested. She made sure he was being fed right. She made sure he got to all of his lessons and photoshoots on time. She even home-schooled him. But she knew that wasn’t enough. She knew, deep down, this wasn’t the life a teenage boy should be living. _He shouldn’t be forced to do all this. I know it’s wrong, but Adrien has a point. He should have a say in what he does. _She never vocalised her beliefs, of course. Not around Gabriel. She’d be fired on the spot. Nathalie got up from her desk, making her way from her office to Adrien’s room. She rapped her knuckles gently on the door. “Adrien? Are you okay?” No answer. “Adrien?” She pushed open the door: and froze. The bedroom was completely empty. And the window was wide open. “ADRIEN!”

“WOO HOO!” Adrien yelled, soaring over the Parisian cityscape. The wind blew freely through his hair, which was notably messier than usual. Adrenaline was rushing through him: and he loved it! Finally, he could do whatever he wanted! No one could tell him what to do! He unhooked the metal pole attached to his lower back, priming it over his head. As he neared the ground, he pushed one of the buttons disguised on the paw print emblem of the weapon. The pole extended, vaulting Adrien forwards as he grinned like a maniac. Who knew freedom could be so- So AWESOME?! He chuckled to himself. _And the best part? No one recognises me! To everyone else I’m a complete stranger! Goodbye Mr. Perfect! And hello-o-_

“Oof!” Adrien collided mid-air with a blur, causing them both to crash to the street below in a mangled pile of limbs. _GROUND. Hello ground._ Groaning, he sat upright. “Sorry ‘bout that. I really should’ve looked where I was-“ “No no! It’s okay! That was totally on me. I-I really am sorry.” The ‘blur’ turned out to be a girl, who by the looks of it was no older than he was. Dark blue hair was styled into longish pigtails, tinged with red near the tips. She had pale skin, and was outfitted in a bright red skin-tight super suit. Black spots decorated her outfit, complete with black thigh high boots and gloves that reached her upper arms. A belt was slung around her waist, and a red mask with black spots surrounded her azure eyes. Laying on the ground next to her was a discarded yo-yo, its string unravelled and limp. He gave her a sympathetic smile. “Ah, it’s alright. Don’t sweat it. It IS only our first day on the job after all.” The girl got up on her feet, brushing herself off. “I’m guessing you must be the partner my Kwami told me about,” he purred, taking her hand in his and gently kissing it. “Pleasure’s all mine.” She pulled her hand away, chuckling. “My my, you’re quite the flirt aren’t you? I don’t think I got your name.” Adrien thought for a second. “Cat Noir. You can call me Cat Noir.”

Marinette looked the charming stranger up and down. He was roughly the same age as her, give or take a few months. He had golden blonde hair, which was scruffy and wild. Similar to her, he had a mask. Except his was dark and made his cat like jade eyes pop out in contrast. He was wearing a black leather catsuit, complete with zip up pockets and a small brass bell near the neck. A whip-like belt was fastened around his waist, trailing behind him like a tail. Steel tipped boots and cuffs around his wrists finished off the look, along with black cat ears on his head. “And, forgive me for being rude, but I never caught yours either Miss,” Cat Noir purred, a cheeky grin on his face. “I’m-“ She started, before a bloodcurdling roar cut her off. “KIIIIM!!!” They stared towards the source of the noise, before looking back at each other. “I guess introductions will have to wait.” Cat Noir reached down, grabbing his staff that was dropped during their collision. “Well, it’d be rude of us to keep our friend over there waiting.”


	9. Rumble In The Stadium

Stoneheart swung his boulder-like fists, demolishing everything in his path. Buildings toppled like dominoes, and cars were flung miles into the air. Parisians scattered like roaches, scrambling over each other as they rushed to flee from the carnage. Some weren’t as fortunate as others. “Hey! Boulder Brain!” yelled a voice. Stoneheart turned his head: and was greeted with a steel pole to the jaw. He stumbled and lost his balance, jamming a fist into the ground to steady himself as he fell to one knee. Cat Noir landed on the street a few feet away from him, his staff primed to strike. The girl landed next to him. “So… How EXACTLY are we gonna turn Mt. Everest over there back into a human?” he asked, flitting his gaze to her. “I… haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” she mumbled. “Don’t rush yourself. A delayed plan is better than a rushed one.”

Stoneheart growled, getting back to his feet. _“I knew it… Stoneheart! Those two want to deny you of what’s rightfully yours! Don’t let them!”_ He grinned evilly. “You got it.” Cat Noir cocked his head. “Um… Who is he talking to?” The monster seized a nearby car, pulling his arm back. He swung it forward with every ounce of strength he had, hurtling the car at deadly speed towards them. The two heroes dove out of the way, and the car went careering along the street and smashed into a building in a mess of metal and concrete. The girl gulped. _We can’t fight him out here. We need to lure him somewhere he won’t be able to hurt anyone._ Cat Noir looked at her. “You thinking what I’m thinking?” She nodded. “It’s too risky to battle him here. He’s already killed people, and we can’t let him kill more. We need somewhere more open. Somewhere there isn’t a lot of people…” Stoneheart turned away from them, charging down the cracked road. “Where’s he going?!” she yelled, panicking. “He’s headed for the stadium. That must be where that Kim girl is! Come on! We need to stop him!”

Kim groaned, clutching the side of his face as he grimaced. It took a lot of begging the nurse, but he was able to get the go ahead to do sports. And his injuries were making sure he knew how much they loathed his choice. He scoffed. _It’s Ivan’s fault. Dude flipped his lid at a stupid joke._ As if getting the living crap kicked out of him wasn’t bad enough, he also had to stop his mother popping a blood vessel once she saw the state his face was in when she arrived at the school to take him to the hospital. The front of his hoodie was bloodied from the assault, and his right cheek was swollen. He also had a severe nosebleed, but a damp cloth courtesy of the nursing staff took care of that quickly. He paused. _He was pretty pissed though… maybe I took it too far?_ Kim shook his head, dismissing the fleeting thought as he stuffed the last few pieces of his sports gear into his kit bag. _Nah. Ivan just doesn’t have a sense of humour. Not my fault._ “Kim! Look out!” a voice yelled. He looked up in time to see a chunk of concrete the size of a bus coming straight for him. Crying out in alarm, he dove out of the way as the debris missed him by the breadth of a hair. He slammed onto the ground, winded by both the impact and the shock. A heavy shadow fell over him, and gingerly he looked behind him. A towering creature loomed over him, its stony face contorted by rage. green eyes gleaming menacingly. It tore through the remains of the stadium wall with startling ease, the ground tremoring with each step. “So…” it growled, grinding one of its fists into its open palm. “Still think I’m weak?”

Marinette vaulted over the chimney, adrenaline running high as she raced towards the stadium. Cat Noir ran alongside her, using his claws to create pivot points for himself as he leapt across the rooftops. “I hope we’re not too late,” she mumbled. Cat Noir flitted his gaze to her, slowing his pace a bit. “Of course we’re not. We’ll save Kim, and defeat that monster. I promise. Why do you reckon he’s after her anyways?” Her brow furrowed in concentration. “I… I don’t know. Maybe he upset him?” Cat’s eyes widened. “Wait… KIM’S A BOY?!” Marinette shrugged. “I know. Weird choice. He got teased a lot for it.” He stared at the ground in a baffled daze, before shaking himself off. “Whatever he did, we better stop that thing before he beats him to a bloody pulp.” A bloodcurdling scream cut through the air, sending shivers through Marinette’s spine. “Damn it! Stoneheart got there before us!”

By the time they got to the stadium, a good third of it was reduced to nothing but rubble and debris. Below, Kim was running for his life across the field. Stoneheart charged after him, ripping off chunks of the spectator sections and using them as projectiles. Concrete ruptured from the grass, and the air was heavy with dust and soil. Cat Noir let out a long, low whistle. “Damn. I feel sorry for whoever’s gotta pay for the damages.” Marinette glared at him. “Really? You choose NOW of all times to start making jokes?” He winked cheekily, smiling. “Just thought I’d lighten the mood. Now then,” he took a few steps back, slightly crouching down. “How about we see to saving that boy?” He took a running leap off the stadium’s ledge, swinging his staff at Stoneheart’s head. Metal impacted with stone, cracking off a echoing _CRACK!_ Cat Noir landed gracefully, grinning away. That grin quickly faded whenever he saw Stoneheart almost double in size. “Umm… Bug Girl? I think we have a problem!” Stoneheart turned to look at him, his eyes narrowing. “You again?” he growled. He brought his fist crashing down, sending monumental shockwaves through the ground. The entire stadium trembled from the force, but when he lifted his fist the hero wasn’t there. “Looking for me big guy?” Cat Noir jeered, a few feet away from his original position. Stoneheart growled, smashing into the ground again with his other fist. The hero dodged nimbly out of the way, digging his claws into the ground to steady himself. “Ooh. So close, and yet so far.” The monster pummelled the ground time and time again, each attempt being met with a well timed dodge and snide remark.

Alya watched the battle from behind a nearby piece of debris, recording the whole ordeal on her phone. Even though she remained quiet as not to alert the monster of her presence, her mind was buzzing with excitement. _I can’t believe it! I’m actually witnessing a real life superhero fight! This is BEYOND cool!_ The monster was roaring with fury, trying and failing to land a hit on the cat like hero who attacked him. As she recorded the fight, something caught her eye. Another hero was glued to the top of the stadium wall, frozen with fear. “What the…?” she muttered, tearing her focus away from the fight and turning it to the girl.

Marinette watched the battle unfolding below, her body frozen stiff with nerves. _There’s no way I can do this! I’m just going to mess it up! What if I can’t save Ivan?! What if I end up destroying the rest of the stadium?! Why did Tikki pick me?! I can’t save Paris! I’m just a kid!_ A voice cut through her derailing train of thought, the tone clear as crystal. “Come on Bug Girl! You can do this! Everyone’s counting on you!” Looking down, she saw Alya watching her, giving her a supportive smile. Marinette took a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. _Come on Mari. You can do this! You can’t let Alya down!_ She ran off the ledge, slinging her yo-yo around a destroyed pillar and launching herself towards the stadium floor. She landed next to her partner, her eyes alight with determination. Cat Noir smiled. “Knew you’d come through. So, what’s the plan?” She thought for a minute, lost in concentration. “Well, we can’t hit him. That’ll only make him stronger. So that means…” “We have to find a way of fighting him without actually fighting!” Cat Noir chimed in. She nodded. “Looks like it.” Stoneheart swung his fist down towards them, scattering the two heroes. Marinette stumbled on her landing, catching her balance at the last second. Cat Noir landed gracefully in a crouch.

“We need to find his akuma!” she called to him. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion, as he looked at her like she had two heads. “His what now?” “His akuma. It’s inside something he has on him. If we can destroy it, he’ll go back to normal.” Cat Noir nodded. “Right. Just one problem.” He pointed to Stoneheart. “All I can see is miles and miles of stone. Finding the akuma is gonna be like finding a needle in a haystack.” She scanned the monster, trying to find a visible weakness. Cat Noir’s face brightened. “What if we used our powers? That should do the trick!” Marinette grimaced. “I’m… not so sure about that. My powers are only supposed to be used as a last resort. I don’t think rushing in is-“ “Don’t worry Bug Girl. I’ll take care of it. You don’t have to do something you’re not comfortable with,” Cat Noir interrupted. He raised his right arm above his head. “CATACLYSM!” Black energy began surging through his hand, clouding around it like a small thunderstorm. He grinned, bringing his arm back down and priming it for attack. “Apparently I can destroy anything I touch,” he purred. Marinette shifted uneasily, squirming a bit. “Don’t you think that’s a bit… _extreme?_ ” He shrugged. “Maybe. But if we want any chance of winning, we’re going to have to resort to extremes.” He looked at the nearby goal post, grinning. “Wait NO!” He touched the goal post, staring in awe as it rusted and fell to dust within seconds. “Alright! You’re next, Rubble Brain!” he yelled triumphantly, charging towards Stoneheart.

He slammed his hand down on the monster’s foot, expecting him to crumble away. Nothing. He tried a few more times. Nope. He sighed. _Right. Of COURSE the super useful power that can save the day can only be used once. Thanks a lot Plagg._ Stoneheart swatted him away with a rocky paw, sending Cat Noir careering backwards to Bug Girl. She sighed. “I don’t get it. Didn’t your Kwami explain all of this to you whenever you opened the box?” He chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head. “Yeah… About that…”

_“So, let me get this straight. You’re a kwami: a millennia old being that controls the power of destruction. I’ve been chosen to be the Black Cat Hero, so that I can protect Paris against monsters like that thing.” Plagg looked up from his little play session with the TV remote, nodding. “Pretty much yeah.” Adrien sighed, shaking his head. “Except I’m going to be pretty useless. I’m always locked up here! What’s the use of a superhero who isn’t allowed to leave his own home?!” “No good! Which is why I’m gonna change that!” Adrien picked up the silver ring, slipping it onto his right hand. “You’re… really going to help me?” he muttered absently, looking out the window at the city beyond his room. Plagg shrugged. “Eh. Normally I don’t bother, but since your dad’s really finicky about you being normal I don’t really have a choice.” Adrien looked at him blankly. “Wow. How kind. Boy am I lucky to have a friend like you,” he droned, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Just a few things before we get started. To activate your powers, just say ‘Plagg, Claws Out!’. That’ll activate your powe-“ Adrien punched the air with his right arm. “Plagg, CLAWS OUT!” The kwami was pulled into the ring, yelling profanities and complaints at Adrien as he was enveloped in green light. Once the transformation subsided, he pushed open the room window and took a leap of faith. “Freedom HERE I COME!”_

“I, uh… may have got a _tad_ overexcited about my new life,” Cat Noir muttered. His ring squealed a high pitched beep, the paw print emblem in the centrepiece flashing. “Now you only have 5 minutes before you change back!” He looked at her, his shoulders slumping in defeat. “Right. Sorry, I didn’t mean to act so hastily. Looks like it’s down to you Bug Girl.” The girl nodded, gulping as she tried to still her nerves. “Lucky Charm!” An item began fabricating in the air above her, dropping into her open hands once it finally appeared. She held it up in front of her, her heart sinking as she stared in disbelief. “A body suit?! What am I supposed to do with this?!” she yelped. Cat Noir’s eyes widened with horror. “Don’t know. But you’re going to have to think fast! Look!”

Stoneheart had turned his attention away from them, and was now marching towards Alya. She tried to run away, but she snagged her foot and plummeted to the ground. He picked up the remaining goal post, and hurled it towards her at a fatal velocity. “Look out!” Cat Noir roared, charging towards the collision course. He extended his baton, swinging it towards Alya. The impact flung her out of the way of the goal post: which crumpled and snapped as it collided with the tarmac. He avoided more of Stoneheart’s blows, which had become more erratic. _Wait a minute…_ Marinette narrowed her eyes, studying the villain closely. _That’s it!_ “His fist! We need to open his fist!” she yelled to Cat, her tone triumphant. “How are we going to do that?! We can’t hit him, remember?” She readied her weapon, taking a deep breath to slow her rapidly beating heart. _Stay strong Marinette. It’s going to work. It HAS to!_ She threw the yo-yo towards Cat Noir, allowing it to wrap around his ankles. He snapped his head around, his eyes wide and filled with alarm. “Just trust me!” she called to him, hoping that would be enough to calm him down. Using all of her strength, she pulled the string taut and swung her new partner in a circle a few times before sending him soaring towards Stoneheart. “THIS GIRL’S CRAZY!” he screamed, before the air was almost squeezed out of him by Stoneheart’s grip. She took a run up, launching herself towards Stoneheart as well. _Is she trying to get us killed?! What the hell is she doing?!_ The monster opened his other fist to catch the hero, causing something small and purple to fall to the ground below.

“Alya! The hose! Turn on the water!” she barked, nodding towards the faucet installed in the wall. Alya stared at her for a minute, then scampered to the faucet and turned the valve. Stoneheart’s hand containing the girl started rumbling, before springing open with an explosive force. The girl dropped to the ground, along with the body suit filled with water. _Ah! That’s why she had us captured!_ She picked up the purple object, slamming her fist into it. It crumbled into rubble, something slipping out of it. Stoneheart roared in defeat, falling to his knees as he let go of Cat Noir. Cracks splintered his rocky frame, and he crumbled into rubble and debris. The rocks faded into nothingness, and a boy groaned as he sat upright. “Where am I? What happened?” he grumbled, rubbing his head.


	10. Oops.

Marinette breathed a sigh of relief, relaxing. _Thank God that’s over. I can’t believe my plan worked!_ She was certain it was going to fail. But a doomed plan was better than no plan at all. Still, it baffled her that such an outlandishly wild idea managed to work as well as it did. She watched the small butterfly fly away into the sky, smiling to herself. Cat Noir walked over to her, grinning from ear to ear. “Good work! That was pretty creative, using the body suit to force his hand to open.” He held his fist up. “Come on. You know you want to.” She rolled her eyes, scoffing. “All right.” She bumped his fist with her own. His ring beeped again, the number of pads on the emblem reduced to only two. “Oops. Gotta go.” He gave a quick courtesy. “Looking forward to working with you again. _Bonne après-midi!_ ” He ran off, using his baton to propel himself over the stadium wall. The stone like object had turned into a crumpled up piece of paper. Curiosity piquing her interests, Marinette unfolded it and read the note.

_“You’re so weak! You can’t even tell Mylene that you love her!”_

She glanced over at Ivan, who was slumped over in shame. She walked over to him, gently placing the note in his hand. “Ivan. I understand why you were so angry at that boy. But violence isn’t the answer. And you shouldn’t be afraid of telling the person you love how you really feel. There’s nothing weak about doing that. If anything, it proves how strong you are.” He gave her a smile, nodding. “Thanks Miss. But, how do you know my name?” _Shit. I let that slip._ Thankfully, Alya rushed over and started bombarding her with questions before she could screw things up even further. “Unbelievable! Incredible! Fabulous!” she gushed, her words falling over one another. “Are you going to be protecting Paris from now on? How did you get your powers?! Were you bitten by a radioactive ladybug?! A lab accident?!” Marinette chuckled nervously, walking away to avoid further bombardment. “Wait! I have so many questions to ask you, Miss… Miss…?” She stopped in her tracks, thinking. _Oh! That’s right! I still need a name. Unless I want everyone to start calling me Bug Girl._ After a couple of minutes, she finally thought of a good name for herself. “Ladybug. You can call me Ladybug.” With that, she took off.

Adrien landed in his room, just as his costume started to fade into green light. Plagg catapulted from the ring, screaming as he flew onto the bed. He glared at Adrien, his fur ruffled in anger. “Next time can you WAIT UNTIL I’M FINISHED?!” he yelled. Adrien sighed. “Sorry. But what was that thing that took over that boy? My partner said it was something called an akuma?” Plagg yawned. “I COULD explain it to ya, but I need feeding.” Adrien stared at him with a deadpan look on his face. “…What?” Plagg sat upright, his tail curling around him. “Like it or not kid, whenever you go hero YOU use up MY energy. The Cataclysm takes a lot outta me, so after you use it you only have 5 minutes before I conk out and you transform back into Mr. Perfect Dreamboat. Once that happens, I need to eat to recharge my batteries.” Adrien grumbled. He didn’t have time to argue with a CAT of all things. “Look. I don’t need a whole lecture. I just want to know what that thing was.” The kwami let out a long, drawn out groan. “Fine! But after, I eat.” Adrien nodded. “That thing was, as your partner said, an akuma. Normally, they don’t turn people into monsters. But someone or something has gotten hold of the Kwami of Emotion, so they can manipulate people into obeying them. That’s why I’m here: when the shit hits the fan, you and your partner are going to have to fight them. And it’s MY job to make sure you’re strong enough to beat them when that day comes.” A heavy pause hung in the air. “Can I eat now?”

Marinette sighed, letting the pink light surround her. The super suit disappeared, revealing her civilian clothes. Tikki appeared from the earrings, drained and exhausted. Marinette held out her hands, catching the kwami. “Well done Marinette! I knew you could do it!” She smiled warmly, sitting down at her desk. “Thanks to you that is. I can’t believe Ivan was turned into that thing. He must’ve been so confused.” Tikki’s antennae flattened against her head, her tiny shoulders slumping. “I’m sorry I had to throw you in headfirst like that. Normally I try to ease my owners into the role of the Ladybug Hero, but this time… Well, you saw why that wasn’t the case.” Marinette set the small creature down on the desk, running her thumb over its head in an attempt to comfort it. “It’s okay Tikki. You don’t need to explain yourself. I’m just glad I didn’t faint this time.” The kwami cocked her head. “This time? What do you mean this time?” Marinette sighed. “I don’t normally cope that well when it comes to people. Especially large crowds. I should thank my lucky stars that there wasn’t that many people, or else Cat Noir would’ve had to deal with Stoneheart AND an unconscious Ladybug.” She noticed the small creature was having trouble keeping her eyes open. “Hey, are you okay? You look… tired.” Tikki shook her head, flashing Marinette a little smile. “I’m fine. It’s normal for kwamis to get tired after their owners use their powers. I just need something to eat, and I’ll be recharged and ready to go again.” A voice called up from the apartment below. _“Marinette! Can you give me a hand please?”_ “Sure Mom! I’ll be down in a second!” Marinette called down, looking back at the kwami. “So… what exactly do ladybug kwamis _eat?_ ” The kwami got off the table top, burrowing herself into Marinette’s inner coat pocket. “Anything sweet will do. But I really like cookies.” Marinette smiled at her, making her way to the trapdoor. “Well then, I think you’ll be glad to know my dad’s a really good baker.”

Adrien held his nose, carrying a small silver platter. Plagg was asleep, curled up on the sofa cushion. Trying his best to not gag, he set the platter down on the coffee table and removed the cover. On the plate squatted a slice of Camembert, its rank odour snaking towards his nostrils. The kwami’s nose twitched, and his ears perked up as he bolted upright. Plagg pounced on the cheese, sinking his fangs into the rind as he chomped noisily. Adrien slumped into the chair in front of his computer, groaning as he buried his face in his hands. _Camembert. Of all of the cheeses he could’ve liked, why did it have to be Camembert?_ “Hey kid! You’re on the news!” Adrien looked over at the TV, where a news report was playing. He got up from his seat, swapping it for the couch as he turned up the volume. Nadia, the same reporter from earlier, was presenting the piece with a smile. Definitely a more positive approach than her fearful one from earlier that day. _“Thanks to this amateur footage, it’s been confirmed that Paris is now under the protection of two brave new heroes: Ladybug and Cat Noir. Citizens are already calling these two the new guardian angels of the city. Whatever threat comes next, Paris lies safe in the knowledge that the two heroes will protect us.”_ Adrien smiled. It was nice to be acknowledged for something other than his looks for a change. “So, that’s her name. Ladybug.” Plagg looked up from his meal, grinning slyly. “Oh? Is that romance I smell?” Adrien shook his head. “Of course not. I was just wondering if I was going to have to keep calling her Bug Girl.”

_The man glowered, his grip tightening on the cane he was holding. “Damn it! He failed! Now what am I supposed to-“ The faint flutter of butterfly wings filled the room. Glancing up, the man startled. A small purple butterfly flew towards him, violet light splintering across its wings. He held out his index finger, allowing the creature to land. An evil smile broke across his lips, and he chuckled. “Ah. Of course. They’re only children. Which means they’re liable to mistakes.” He gently stroked the butterfly’s wings, making sure not to hurt it. “You did well, my friend. Why try to destroy them with brute force when we can do so by planting seeds of doubt in their naïve minds? All we have to do now is wait. And let the damage set…”_

Marinette let the trapdoor slam shut behind her, holding open her coat with one hand. Tikki flew out, staring at her keenly. “Don’t worry. I kept my promise.” She brandished a chocolate chip cookie, which was hungrily snatched by the kwami. She sat herself down on Marinette’s dresser, digging in to her meal. “I can’t believe me and Cat have only been heroes for a couple of minutes, and already the city’s setting up celebrations and parties in our honour,” Marinette laughed, shaking her head. Tikki beamed at her. “I think it’s great. It shows that everyone trusts you two. And believe me, that trust is important.” Marinette took a seat at her desk, staring absently out the window. “They trust us that much, huh?” she mumbled. Suddenly, her computer screen flashed with a breaking news alert. Startled, she clicked on it: and gasped in horror. The news footage showed statue like monsters, all in the likeness of Stoneheart. “Uh… Tikki? We have a problem!” The kwami whizzed over to the computer screen, eyes widening with shock.

Adrien’s jaw hung ajar as he gawped at the TV screen. Plagg’s ears flattened against his head, and a small whimper escaped his throat. _“Um… This is… **unexpected**. Shortly after the defeat of the monster, it seems that random citizens are being transformed into… the exact same thing?” _The reporter turned away from the camera and to the wings. _“Is that even possible? I thought the monster was already defeated.”_ She glanced back at the camera, nervously smiling. _“We’re not quite sure what to make of this, but right now the Mayor is holding a press conference to discuss the issue.”_ Adrien flicked the TV off as the feed changed, staring daggers at Plagg. “…What?” the kwami grumbled, brushing crumbs from his whiskers. “What? WHAT? How are those people monsters?! I thought we already beat Stoneheart!” Plagg thought for a minute, his brow knitting together. “Did Ladybug capture the akuma?” Adrien shook his head. “No? I don’t think so. Why?” Plagg slammed his palm into his forehead, groaning. “ _That_ explains it. Look, kid, after the akuma’s freed it’s _vital_ that it’s captured and purified. If ya let it just fly around and do whatever the hell it wants, it can multiply and create smaller versions of the villain. As soon as that guy is turned into Stoneheart again, he’ll have a whole army of other little Stonehearts at his command.” Adrien bolted to his feet. “Well, then let’s get out there and capture it!” “That’s not how it works. My powers are a bit fickle kid. Sure, we can DESTROY the akuma. Nothing can stop us doing that. But we can’t fix those people, or any of the damage caused. My powers can only destroy : I can’t create new things or create solutions to the problems caused by the akuma. Only the Ladybug Miraculous can do that: it’s like a balancing act. She can control creation but can’t destroy anything, and I can control destruction but can’t fix anything.” Adrien sighed, burying his face in his hands as he threw himself back onto the sofa. “Perfect. Just my luck.”

“WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO?!” Marinette shrieked, pacing back and forth in her bedroom with her hands tangling themselves in her hair. “Oh I _knew_ it was too good to be true! I just knew, deep down, that I was going to screw something up! And I did! Instead of _fixing_ the problem I’ve only made it _worse!_ Ugh, I told you choosing me to be Ladybug was a bad choice Tikki!” The kwami sat on the desk, her antennae flattened on her head. “You mustn’t be so hard on yourself Marinette! It’s only your first day! You’re allowed to make mistakes! You’re human: it’s perfectly normal!” Marinette shook her head in a frenzy, looking ready to pull her hair out. “You don’t get it Tikki! The whole city’s looking to _me_ to fix this! There’s no way. There’s no way! I’m gonna mess it up again! I _will_ mess it up again!” She collapsed to her knees, struggling to breathe. Her head pounded, and her stomach was doing somersaults. The whole room seemed to sway and tilt right in front of her eyes. She squeezed them shut, trying to calm herself down. Tikki’s small voice seemed distant to her deteriorating hearing.

_“Marinette! MARINETTE! Marinette, please look at me! I’m so sorry! I should’ve taken the time to explain all of this to you properly! Please, you can’t give up now! Paris needs you! Marinette, please answer me!”_

Marinette gritted her teeth, trying to drown out her pleas. _I don’t want to! I’ll fail! I know I will! Just SHUT UP! GO AWAY! MAKE IT ALL GO AWAY!!!_

Silence.

Gingerly, Marinette opened her eyes. Tikki was nowhere to be seen. She felt something small and cool in her hands. Looking down, she saw the earrings resting in her palms. _I must’ve pulled them out during my attack._ She went to put them back on, but froze. _Wait… Is this really the right choice? I already messed up once. What if I do it again? What if I make everything worse?_ She let her hands fall to her lap, staring glumly at the earrings. _I need to find someone else. Someone who’ll ACTUALLY do the job right._ Sighing, she unsteadily got back to her feet and made her way to her desk. She placed them to rest in the velvet lining of the box, snapping the lid shut. “Sorry Tikki…” Marinette muttered, hanging her head as her shoulders slumped.

“I just wasn’t ready for all this…”

_TO BE CONTINUED…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes I randomly updated this with an end note. Expect a lot more of these in the future too.
> 
> So. **claps hands** First of all, HUGE thanks for 100+ views. I can’t believe people like this silly little idea I had. I really do appreciate the support. Second of all, I’m currently working on Part Two. I’m going to release it chapter by chapter, just to see how that works out for me. But if you guys prefer me releasing the whole work at once, then please say so.
> 
> As for how the series is structured, I have a fair idea of what I want to do. Season One, like in canon, lays down the foundation of the characters and how the world works. Season Two is where things start to get interesting. I don’t want to spoil anything (because I’m not Jeremy Zag lol), but to put it simply Season Two is when things start to become juicy. Season Three... Eh... I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet. I know what I want to do with Miracle Queen and Cat Blanc, but the exact details are still up in the air. I guess I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it.
> 
> Again, I highly encourage my readers to give positive and negative feedback in the comments. Please don’t pull any punches. If I see any “Nuuuu it’s perfect don’t change anything UwU”, I’mma start throwing hands.
> 
> I’m serious.
> 
> I genuinely want this series to be as enjoyable for you guys to read as it is for me to write. And I really appreciate the feedback as well. The good AND the bad. Oh, and if you guys want somewhere down the line I can publish a Q&A as a separate fic and answer any questions you might have about the characters, the story, or even both. I really cannot stress how important it is to establish a rapport with you guys. In my eyes, you’re the priority. After all, I am but your humble servant feeding your fan fiction desires. Seriously, I won’t attack you if you say I reuse a certain word too many times. Or if the action scenes suck. If anything, I would greatly appreciate your honesty. Just please let me know, and I’ll see what I can do to improve.
> 
> Until we meet again! 
> 
> Cheetahgirl Studios


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